Fishermen in New Takoradi, a sub of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have expressed gratitude to the government for the one month ban on fishing in the seas.

The fishermen expressed joy as the closed season helped them to take care of their health needs and prepared their equipment for fishing ahead of the major fishing season.

Mr Agya Atoabo, secretary for the chief fisherman in the area in an interview with GNA, said the idea of the closed season for Artisan fisheries has helped the sector to record a bumper harvest in their line of business.

He was however unhappy that the government closed the Artisan fisheries sector to allow the semi-industrial sector to operate only to have their closed season in August.

He said the closed season should have been for the two sectors, noting that the semi-industrial sector "throw away the fishes which they do not want but needed by the Artisan sector."

He appealed to the government to continue to educate fishermen on the need to stop using light in fishing, chemicals and undersize mesh nets for fishing so that the smaller fishes could grow.

Mr Samuel Tetteh, a member of the Ghana Canoe Association said the unavailability of premix fuel delayed their work.

He announced that the government supplied premix fuel on 13 June shortly before the opening season and was hopeful that more pre-mix fuel would be supplied to them soon since they were approaching the main fishing season.